A diverse group of animals, including members of most major phyla, have adapted to life in
the perpetual darkness of caves. These animals are united by the convergence of two …

The modular components, or subcircuits, of developmental gene regulatory networks
(GRNs) execute specific developmental functions, such as the specification of cell identity …

Natural populations subjected to strong environmental selection pressures offer a window
into the genetic underpinnings of evolutionary change. Cavefish populations, Astyanax …

In the highly derived syngnathid fishes (pipefishes, seadragons & seahorses), the evolution
of sex-role reversed brooding behavior culminated in the seahorse lineage's male …

Patterns of sleep vary widely among species [1–4], but the functional and evolutionary
principles responsible for this diversity remain unknown. The characin fish, Astyanax …

Cave animals are excellent models to study the general principles of evolution as well as the
mechanisms of adaptation to a novel environment: the perpetual darkness of caves. In this …

This study addresses the role of sonic hedgehog (shh) in increasing oral–pharyngeal
constructive traits (jaws and taste buds) at the expense of eyes in the blind cavefish …

Animals display incredibly diverse color patterns yet little is known about the underlying
genetic basis of these phenotypes. However, emerging results are resha** our view of …

Background Sleep is characterized by extended periods of quiescence and reduced
responsiveness to sensory stimuli. Animals ranging from insects to mammals adapt to …

Background How and why animals lose eyesight during adaptation to the dark and food-
limited cave environment has puzzled biologists since the time of Darwin. More recently …